Price of Redemption
by Ootori Tatsu
Summary: Optimus has been captured by the Decepticons and has been set up for execution at the end of the Decacycle. Ultimatly it is Starscream who regrets his involvement and decides to try and reverse what he's done.
1. Chapter 1

A/N More transformers stuff. Don't expect long messages in these areas'

Ch 1: Successful

"Starscream!" Here we go again, I think to myself as I flinch. Getting up from my table I have enough time to turn before Megatron charges through my door. Like a flash he had me by my neck cables, pinning me to the wall. "Your plan failed! Again! Tell me why I shouldn't rip you to scrap right this instant." He says, crushing the delicate cables.

"Because it wasn't the real plan!" I screech out. The pressure let's up and I immediately start creating a new plan in my mind. "These last few missions, you've damaged Prime in each one, yes?"

"Of course. He looks more beaten every time we enter combat. I suspect he won't be in the next battle if we attack again but right now I'm not too sure I can stand another fight against that Autobot glitch."

"Precisely. You see, we stage a double attack, splitting our forces in half and drawing out as many Autobots as we can then you send someone in to capture Optimus while he's all alone and weak. Stage an execution after you've claimed him and destroy the Autobots' morale." I get dropped to the floor abruptly and I run a servo over my neck cables carefully. Perhaps I could escape a beating this time.

Megatron smirks down at me. "Yes, I think I like this plan Starscream. And to redeem yourself for all those failed missions you can be the one to go in there and capture him." I felt my spark sink. It would be the hardest not to mention the most dangerous part of the plan. "We attack when the sun rises."

-Sunrise-

Gliding down to a cliff I watch the Ark, scrambling my signal. I was all alone on this mission. It was suicide to put it frankly. Running the calculations in my helm again I sigh at the success rating which had not improved. I only had a twenty six percent chance of getting out unscathed or getting out at all.

I have no more time to think on it as the Autobots swarm out of the Ark, Optimus not among them. Unable to keep track of them all I had no clue just how many were left inside. Shoving down my fear I spring off the cliff and make a mad dive for the door, managing to crash through just as the doors sealed behind me.

Wincing at the echo of my hitting the wall I glance around cautiously. No one here. Concentrating I find Optimus' spark signal and begin to follow. Just as I skidded around a corner a gun was shoved into my face. "Starscream? I would have expected several lower soldiers rather than the SiC of the Decepticon forces." Glaring up at Optimus I note what Megatron had said. He looked positively beat.

"Don't flatter me." He gives me a confused look then I take the chance to duck and charge in, knocking him to the floor and placing stasis cuffs on him. Hauling him up with a grunt I decide that going out the way I had come in wasn't a good idea. Instead I'd just jump out of a window.

Choosing a room at random I smile to myself and shoot my intended exit, glass shattering everywhere. Just as I get to the window a well placed shot hits my wingtip. Turning just as I fall out of the window, Prime in tow I spot the med bot and that red helmed bot, Ratchet and Ironhide if memory served right, which it always did.

Pushing myself to top speeds I start heading for the nearest entrance to the Nemesis, which was still quiet a distance away. "You aren't... Going to get away with this." Optimus says as I spot several grounders aiming for my wings.

"You don't get it, if I don't get away with this then I'll be offlined. And not by your silly Autobots."

"Are you insinuating that Megatron would kill you for a mission failure?" I dip to the side, catching a breeze.

"Sure am now shut it off." We travel the remainder of the trip in silence. Half way I had lost the Autobots set out to reclaim their leader by flying up into thick cloud cover.

As I land I stumble and flip over myself. Slag, my equilibrium was still thrown off from the last beating I had gotten. Dragging my prize with me I try to direct my optics anywhere other than his icy blue glare. Couldn't blame him, he was after all heading to his death. But Megatron would hold that off for a decacycle at the least to revel and taunt the Autobots.

"You actually did it? Perhaps you aren't as useless as I believed you to be." Megatron says as I drag Optimus into the thrown room/command center. The rest of the bots mutter approvingly, for once looking at me with something other than scorn in their optics. "For such an achievement I think you deserve a reward." Megatron gets up and motions for my Trine to drag Optimus to the brig. I follow him warily to his quarters and much to my surprise he leaves me standing outside. So rape wasn't my gift of the orn then.

Megatron comes waltzing back out with a cube of energon. He looks at it for a bit before placing it in my servos. "High grade from my personal cache. Enjoy yourself for awhile before your next failure puts me back in the mood to bash you around." Sneering and sticking my glossa out at him as he walked away I head to my own quarters.

Placing the high grade in my subspace, I'd never drink it considering what it would do to my systems, I sit on my berth. As I think about dropping onto my back a slight crackling sound enters my audios. That's right, my wing was still sparking.

Getting back up I head for the med bay. Hook would be busy repairing the ones who'd gotten hit in the diversion attacks so I'd have to take care of myself. I wasn't bad at patching myself up so it was fine. On entering med bay I notice one of the side rooms was lit up. Odd since Hook next to never used one of the spare rooms. If he did they were for storage.

"Hook, where's the spare plating." Hook grumbles something and points to a door. The rest of the Decepticons in the room go quiet as I walk past, optics boring into me. Grabbing some plating I prepare to head back out when Skywarp teleports outside of the side room's door, skidding along the ground.

"Forget it; Thundercracker can get his head ripped off alone!" He says, standing up and storming out. Odd, Thundercracker was about the only mech Skywarp would risk himself for. A moment later the door slides open and TC runs out, adding speed with his thrusters. Walking towards the door I hear Hook give a warning.

"Optimus is in there. Unless you want him to dismantle you I suggest you steer clear."

So the energy in the cuffs had already worn off? Megatron was skimping on supplies again. Entering said room I stare impassively at the Autobot leader who looked about ready to charge. He was still cuffed but was in the middle of snapping them. "Figures. TC and Warp are far too simple to even take care of a few repairs."

"You would say that about your own squad members?"

"Why wouldn't I? What have they done for me? Laugh as I was beaten? Snicker as my wings were ripped off? Defaced and humiliated me? Calling them simple is a weak insult at best." Optimus' optics widen at my sudden outburst. The surprise quickly vanishes as he charges at me. Flipping over him I find what the problem was. Optimus had managed to shut the stasis feature off. Switching it back on I watch as he freezes up once more.

My comm. link hisses to life to broadcast Megatron. "Hook informs me you've been foolish enough to put yourself in the same room as our captive. Why is that?"

"Because TC and Warp are cowards and you would have taken it out on me."

"So you aren't as stupid as I thought you were. And for such courage you can play the part of his guard."

"What? You would- After I-... Fine." I turn off my comm. link to tune out anything else Megatron might want. It was a by far better option to just suck it up and deal with what I was played. Someday I'd kill the smug trash heap. 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Sorry this took so long to update I've just been set on my other story Peaceful Chaos.

Ch 2: Chipping at the walls

"I haven't even been here an orn and I can tell you're treated like a foot soldier. Why are you still a Decepticon?" Optimus asks as I start attending to my wingtip. The question buzzed in my mind. Why? Why was I still here?

"Better option of the two I guess." I finally answer as I finish fixing myself. "I don't suppose you'd want me to finish where Skywarp and Thundercracker left off? I promise to treat it as if it was one of my own wounds."

He glares at me for awhile before sighing. "Why bother?"

"Because torture hurts worse when you're already wounded. I would know." I add, hopefully reminding him of all the times I was tortured at the hands of the Autobots when their leader wasn't looking.

"I know what you're alluding to. I never ordered anyone to torture you."

"You didn't have to." I sneer.

"I apologize." Taken aback I glance away.

"I'm... Not sure how far I can abuse my power. If possible I'll try to make it so you aren't tortured." I finally say, picking up plating and spare parts.

"Thank you. You know, this is the nicest I've seen you. Why is that?"

"You apologized. Don't get used to it. And I just haven't been beaten or raped today." I say nonchalantly as I get to work on the best repairs I could do with what I had.

"You mean... Megatron-"

"Be careful on what ground you tread." I warn him with and added glare.

We drop into silence and I finish the work. "Now, either I drag you down to the brig or you can walk down and I won't have to damage what repairs I could do." He agrees and does as I ask, walking by my side rather than me having to drag him.

As I lock him into the cage inside the brig I remove the stasis cuffs completely and turn to head out when who but Megatron himself should walk in. "Good, you repaired him. Now we get to torture him and drag some delicious Autobot information from him."

I throw up my servos. "Wait Lord Megatron. I only did minor repairs. If you press him you might offline him before you get to execution him in front of all those Autobots. You wouldn't want that would you?" I ask in my most persuasive tone. Megatron contemplates it before turning away.

"I guess your words hold some sort of sense. Keep amazing me Starscream and I might remember why I made you my second." I sneer at his back and start to follow. He turns back to me. "Where are you going?"

"Prisoners can't survive on air alone." Megatron cuffs my audio lightly.

"Watch your tone. And don't give him too much energon; I'd like to see him suffer more." I part ways and grab a few cubes, taking them back with me.

Once back in the brig I step close to the bars and offer up the cubes. Optimus takes them and sighs. "Why bother energizing me if you only intend to kill me?"

"You have a decacycle at least before Megatron moves to offline you. He does so love the dramatic flare of executions." We drop into silence again and Optimus slowly consumes a cube. I wasn't paying close attention, letting my thoughts wander. Why? Why am I still a Decepticon? Surely no ideal is worth the treatment I receive. I find myself thinking again. "Do you want to talk about something?" I finally say.

"Why?" Comes the answering question.

"Because I can't go through long spaces of time without talking. It can be about anything really."

"Well, what do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know, that's why I asked you."

"I have a question then."

"Ask away."

"What did you do before the war?" Now I was surprised. No one cared enough about me to actually ask information about my personal life.

"I was an explorer, a scientist. And you?"

"A dock worker."

"Can I ask you something?" I finally say, looking back at him. "How is Skyfire?"

"He was fine the last time I saw him. Why? I thought you'd hate him after betraying you." My air filtration units shutter and I bow my head.

"No, never. I could never hate Skyfire. Am I disappointed? Yes. Am I hurt? Of course. Am I angry? Sure. But can I hate the only friend I've ever had? No." Hugging my arms tightly to my frame I feel myself shudder. "I don't blame him for what he did. He was smart, leaving while he still had the chance. I'm the fool who was blinded, still am blinded, by the prospects of leadership."

"When I talked to him last the subject was about you." Optimus speaks up and I lift my helm. He was watching me carefully. "He told me he had hopes that you would join him in switching sides. He's always berating himself for leaving you behind."

I smile. "Sounds like him. If you... Ever get out of this situation... Tell him I'm sorry and I regret every shot I'd ever taken at him."

"Tell him yourself." Comes the reply.

"Not possible. If you escaped I'd be ripped to pieces for another failure, offlined for sure." My optics flicker.

"It's late, you should recharge." Just after the words leave Optimus' mouth the door opens to reveal a sneering Skywarp.

"Hey glitch face, scram, I get your boring guard job." Rolling my optics I pick myself off a section of wall while Warp snags the only chair. Glancing at Optimus I smile slightly to see him giving a full on glare to Warp.

-Next Orn-

Someone banging on my door makes me snap out of recharge. "The Pit do you want?" I scream finally and the banging stops. The door rises to reveal one of the mechs I wanted to see the least "What an unpleasant surprise. To what do I owe the honor Thundercracker?"

"Please don't be like that Starscream." He says, coming into my room. I fire a warning shot past his head and he halts.

"Oh yes, I'll be 'like that'. I did not give you permission for entry now state your business and get out." TC sighs.

"Look, I know since we've gotten to Earth that we've been fighting amongst ourselves. Can't we go back to what we were? A functioning trine that takes care of each other. I'm tired of walking down a hall and you storming past us before I can say anything."

"Don't you remember? You and Skywarp were the ones who started, what's the organic phrase? Ah, burning bridges. Or don't you remember just standing by and watching as Megatron ripped me to pieces? I distinctly remember that it wasn't you who stayed behind to help me. In fact, I had to drag myself on my servos to the med bay alone." He looks taken aback as I walk to my wash racks and start buffing the paint on my arms.

"Now wait, you deserved that one-"

"Did I?" I scream back at his face. "I remember distinctly why I was beaten that time. Warp had crashed into a section of energon we had been gathering and I happened to be nearby. Rather than tell Megatron just who's fault it was I said it was me. Shortly after you misplaced a shot which hit Megatron in the back. He demanded to know who did it and AGAIN I took the blame." TC glances away, knowing I spoke the truth.

"And you know what followed after the beating. I was no longer Starscream, the honored second in command, but Starscream, the traitor. It wasn't until both you and Warp decided that was my real role that I started to play it." By now I was amassing a crowd outside my door. But I didn't care. I didn't care if every Decepticon heard just what I had to say about my trine mate.

"And to add insult to injury you both conveniently forgot just who it was that was guarding your backs." Now I was boiling. No longer caring what I did I start launching shots into the crowd outside. "Move aside!" I scream and all the assembled Decepticons scramble away. 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N And the fight continues

Ch 3: Planning an escape

A servo wraps around my arm to tug me backwards. Snapping my helm around I full out glare at TC. But rather than flee, like most would have done back when I stood as something, he just grits his dental plates and tightens his grip. With a mad swing I barrel him into the wall, still he did not let go.

He was saying something but the buzzing of my processor flooded my audios. Going full out I keep swinging, hitting anything to get TC off, even random Decepticons.

Finally he drops, sparking and dented, to the floor. Filtering air rapidly my processor finally slows down so I could hear what he had to say. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Immediately I felt my anger slip away. What had I done? I was his trine leader. Leaders didn't rip apart their comrades. Staring at my servos I feel my tanks just begging for a purge. I was turning into Megatron, the one thing I had come to hate the most.

A servo rests on my shoulder plate as I stare horrified at TC and the shadow now engulfing his and my own. "Now you get it Starscream, finally the promise I saw in you has become reality. Do you understand now? If you rule by fear and hand out a beating now and then, that is when you rule them, control them, all you have to do is pick a target." Megatron pats my helm softly.

TC was still sitting there, optics averted when Megatron left. Feeling my legs give out I kneel next to him. He flinched away from my touch but still I reached out.

Gently grabbing hold of him I lift him and figure out the quickest route to the med bay. As he hung limp over my shoulder plate and wings I found myself repeating his phrase. "I'm sorry Thundercracker. I'm so sorry."

Just as I made it to the med bay doors Skywarp teleports in front of me. I could have dodged him, even with TC on me. Instead I stood there as he dealt a full on blow to my face plates. "You're lucky you're carrying TC or I'd be mutilating you right now!" He yells at me. I expect my anger to flare back up, instead a gripping cold comes over me. Lashing out a leg I lodge my ped into his midriff and ignite my thruster.

"I don't want to hurt you Warp, stand down." I say as I walk past into the med bay. Hook was already waiting for me, standing by a table. He relieves me of TC and I turn to see Skywarp launching another punch. Ducking to the side I grab his servo and flip him onto the med bay floor. Twisting the servo I ram my ped repeatedly into his frame. Of course he fought back. He also lost.

Leaving both my trine mates behind in the med bay I decide to resume my job from last night. Halfway to the brig my tanks decide they weren't going to hold anymore. Finding the nearest wash racks I purge in one of the sinks. The other bots in the wash racks snicker behind my back until I point a null ray at their direction.

Wiping the energon from the corner of my mouth component I turn to face them. "Do you find something funny?" They shake their helms. I launch a shot at one of them as a warning, leaving a smoking hole in the wall. "Good, me neither."

Storming away I finally make my way to the brig and relieve whoever was on duty. As the door shuts behind him I collapse into the chair. "Bad day?" Optimus asks quietly.

"I'm a monster."

"What prompts that evaluation?"

"I almost killed Thundercracker. Megatron congratulated me." My servos clenched. "I'm supposed to be his leader, his comrade. I'm supposed to listen to him when he has something to say, help him when he's in trouble, stand for something he'd strive to protect. Instead I'm no better than Megatron." The sound of shifting plates makes me look up. Optimus had moved to the bars now, hanging his arms out.

"What made you do it?"

"He... He came to apologize." I scoot the chair forward, wanting to be close to at least someone. "He wanted us to be an actual, functioning trine again. I... Made him remember that it was his fault I am treated the way I am now. He grabbed hold of me and refused to let go until I nearly beat him to death."

Finally scooting close enough I rest my helm on the bars. "Do me a favor, offline me right now. I can't live like this, I'm not who I use to be, who I want to be. I'm so far from my aspirations I might as well be at the other end of the galaxy."

Rather than snap my head off like I was hoping for he kneels down to my level, looking into my optics. "I won't be the one to take your life from you. If you want to become a bot you'd want to be than be that bot. There is always another tomorrow."

"But what if tomorrow comes too late?"

"Then make it so it doesn't."

_"Starscream, the Autobots have sent a message requesting a meeting. You will go in my place. I know you can take care of this alone. Hop to it."_ My comm. link crackles into silence.

"Optimus, I'm going to make sure tomorrow doesn't come too late. I'm going to try to reverse all I've done wrong. Starting by stopping your execution." I stand up and drag the chair back with me. Looking back I catch Optimus' optics. I was going to make sure I didn't fail again.

Heading out the nearest exit I shoot myself out of the water, heading for the meeting place, shutting my comm.. link as I went. On landing I'm faced with Prowl and Jazz. "You do realize you're wasting your time." I tell them before they can start speaking. "No matter what you offer Megatron will turn you down."

"That can't be true. There has to be something. A large supply of energon, medical supplies, something, anything." Jazz pleads.

"He'll just steal the energon he wants, Hook is well supplied, there is nothing he wants. Not even a Decepticon prisoner." I point a null ray behind me. Whoever thought they were going to get the jump on me was wrong. "I doubt even Autobot battle plans would help you."

"Would you help us?" A new voice asks. Turning, I face Skyfire and feel my air filtration units shudder. That was happening a lot nowadays. "Look, I know we've had a bad past and-"

"I'm sorry." I say before lose my nerve. He looks taken aback. "I pushed you away when I got hurt and I hurt you in the process. I'm sorry."

"It's alright Star. I'd still like to be your friend if you'd let me." I nod. "Then as my friend would you help me? I don't know what they plan to do to Optimus-"

"I do. He plans to execute him in front of as many Autobots he can gather. On the way here I struggled to come up with a plan to get him out but the only one that even has a chance to work involves quick action and suicidal attempts. You would have to save him on the day of the execution."

"What kind of percentage are we looking at?" Prowl asks quietly.

"Eight percent survival rating for the bot charging in. Thirty-six for Optimus." I reply. Beginning to walk away.

"We can't possibly ask any bot to put themselves in that much danger." Prowl calls after me. I stop just behind Skyfire.

"You won't have to. I've decided that's where my future lays. And Skyfire, I was told I should say it to you personally. I regret every shot I ever took at you." Without waiting for a reply I transform and rocket away, diving back down into the ocean. 


	4. Chapter 4

Ch 4: Just a hint of menace

"Ah, Starscream, so good of you to turn your comm. link back on. What did they want?"

"What else my lord. They offered energon, medical supplies, might have offered battle plans if I hadn't told them any of it would be useless."

"Such a good assumption. Now return, I'm sure Dirge is tired of guard duty."

"Yes my lord." The comm. goes quiet and I keep reviewing battle plans. In the end the only one that might work was the one I had proposed to the Autobots. Either way I was slagged. Let Optimus die and wait for Megatron to offline me for something else or take a charge at Megatron on the battle field and die for doing something right in my life.

Landing at one of the exits I head inside and head in the direction of the brig. Grabbing a few cubes on the way I finally make it down and open the door. Dirge looked bored out of his processor as he shifted around on the chair. "Vector Primus, this has to be the worst guard duty shift I've been on. Doesn't say anything, even when you provoke him. Guess it's a good thing you like to hear yourself talk eh?" He says as he walks past. When the door opens again I trip him for good measure and head up to the bars.

"Good news and bad news. What do you want first?" I ask quietly as I hand him a few cubes.

"Good news."

"I've devised a plan that has a thirty-six percent rate. But it takes place on execution day. I've ran several plans and this is the best." I sit down and sip my own cube.

"And the bad news?"

"I die in the process." He stares at me in shock, optics wide. "Oh, I forgot, I'm supposed to be all selfish and egotistical. Megatron will offline me some cycle, I might as well go out in style."

"I can't let you do that, can't ask you to do that."

"Now you sound a little selfish. Want me all to yourself?" I asked it as a joke.

"What would you do if I said that I did." His optics bore into mine.

"What would you do if I asked what a mech like you would find desirable in a piece of slag in me?"

"Remember what you said about all the qualities a good leader should have? It showed me that you're not the demon from the Pit most of the Autobots believe you to be. That if you had not been driven to be the way you are now than you would still be the kind spark Skyfire told me he knew all those stellar cycles ago." I felt I should get mad, become angry because he had seen past all the carefully built walls I had built to protect myself.

"I'm not the type of bot you'd want. Who knows what's been festering in Megatron's lines." I finally respond, hoping to deter him.

"Then that's another reason. I could save you from Megatron. If you were an Autobot you'd never be beaten for even the biggest mistake."

"I don't need to be saved. But… It's nice to think there would be someone… Who actually cares… Who am I kidding? Just talking to you is making me soft." I stand up, more than prepared to walk out. "I probably bore you anyway."

"I enjoy your presence." He catches me as I start to walk out. I turn and walk back in.

"Why? By every Deceptions' standards I'm the worst possible company."

"For starters I'm not a Decepticon." In spite of myself I gave him a smile.

"No, no you are not."

-Half a Decacycle Later-

Walking down the halls on my way to the brig I note that most Decepticons I passed either ran past me at the sight of me, turned the other way, or pressed themselves up against the wall. I couldn't blame them, my temper had flown completely off the handle at just the smallest joke any of them cracked. Of course there was a few who were still stupid enough to try. And cue Ramjet.

"Hey Screamer, heading back down to the brig?" He says, keeping step with me. I can hear Dirge and Thrust behind me, warning Ramjet to not be so stupid. He ignored their warnings. "Tell me, does Optimus like to dominate you on the berth?"

The hall goes instantly quiet and as I slowly and calmly look over at Ramjet. His optics go from a jovial red to a distressed scarlet. Gently and in a friendly manner I tug the cone head in for a sideways hug. "You know, he does and he's quiet good at it too." I chuckle.

Ramjet joins in nervously, believing I was joking with him and pulling his wing struts. It didn't take long until the whole hall was laughing. That's when I struck.

Turning my null ray up to nearly full blast I ram it in Ramjet's face and fire. The laughing dies instantly and everyone goes back to cowering. "Now, I suggest you two take him to med bay. There's an 82% chance I ruined his processor with that blast."

His trine mates scramble to do as they were told and I resume walking. I shouldn't have behaved in such a manner but that would destroy the new reputation I was building. Already I had decided I would declare myself an Autobot on the day of the execution. It would help if I scared the others senseless so it would deter them from fighting me.

Reaching the command center I flick my optics over to the throne. Megatron looked positively bored. "Starscream?"

"Yes my lord?" I ask, keeping my voice almost as toneless as Soundwave. The communications officer engages in a staring match with me, no doubt trying to read my mind. Of course he would fail, I never let my guard down.

"I've grown tired of waiting. Contact the Autobots, tell them if they want to see their precious leader one last time then they can come to his execution tomorrow at sunrise. I'll broadcast the coordinates so they have just enough time to gather but that is all. You may go."

Looks like I'd have less time then I had hoped for. Thankfully I already knew the coordinates for said execution.


	5. Chapter 5

Ch 5: Caution is Highly Advisable

Sending out a message on all frequencies I call out to the Autobots. "This is Starscream requesting a meeting with fellow Second in Command Prowl." My comm. remains silent for a few minutes.

"Meeting request accepted, meet at these coordinates." I swing to the side heading to the relayed coordinates. When I land I spot three mechs speeding towards me. Prowl, Jazz, and Ironhide. They halt in front of me and transform, all eyeing me warily.

"My comm. link is shut off for the moment but I've been followed." I knew Ratbat was around somewhere. "The execution of Optimus Prime will take place at sunrise. Coordinates will be sent tomorrow for any who want to see his final moments." I call out loudly. In a whisper I give the coordinates. "If they change I'll inform you as fast as I can."

"How can we trust that you aren't just leaving high and dry?" Ironhide asks suspiciously.

"If there's anything I've learned during my life cycle it's that you can't trust anyone." Figuring it would start to look suspicious if I kept standing around I turn to go. Glancing up I spot Ratbat hanging from one of the rocks but I don't say anything so as to not raise more suspicion.

Flicking my comm. link back on I deliver my report of having delivered the message. "Good, return to base. I'm sure your trine mates are tired of watching tomorrow's entertainment."

"I'll be there in four klicks." I reply. Kicking my thrusters into full speed I leave Ratbat in my dust and take a dive at the ocean. Once I make my landing I glance backwards out into the ocean. Yeah, I wouldn't miss swimming.

As soon as I step into the base I literally run right into Scrapper. "Ah! Starscream! I didn't mean to scuff your paint or anything." I glare up at him and he offers me a shaky servo up.

"Oh shut up. I can just buff it out."

"Wait, so you aren't going to blast me?"

"No. Should I?" Scrapper waves frantically before moving off to the side.

"No sir. It's just Hook finished the diagnostic on Ramjet. You kinda, fried his processor." I immediately feel bad. Frying someone's processor could leave them in a vegetative state. Primus, what would Optimus say? I shake my helm and walk away. It didn't matter what Optimus would say. I only had an 8% chance of survival tomorrow and I was never that lucky.

Opening the door to the brig I let out a sigh. All of a sudden I didn't want to die, there were too many things I had to fix. Sliding my servo across my faceplates I glance up to see TC and Warp. "Oh that's right, guard duty. You're dismissed."

TC and Warp don't make a move towards the door, even after I had relieved them. "Starscream, are you alright?" TC asks quietly.

"I'm never alright TC." I reply with a shake of my helm. Claiming the chair I sink down on it. Warp approaches me quietly and pulls me into a hug. Having my faceplates squished into my purple trine mate's lower section of cockpit wasn't my favorite way to be hugged but right now I didn't care.

"I'm sorry Star. I'm an aft head." He says as he squeezes me. "You had my back the whole time and I didn't even notice it. Whatever you decide to do tomorrow just know that I have your back. TC too."

"Thanks for volunteering me Warp." TC grumbles. Panic swarms my processor. Did they know what I was planning?

"What do you mean you have my back?" I ask suspiciously.

"Well, you haven't tried to kill Megatron anytime recently and the execution tomorrow would be the perfect opportunity. You know, let Megatron kill Optimus and then you kill Megatron when he least expects it." He says cheerfully. Finally managing to pry myself out of Warps grasp I cast a glance over at TC. I couldn't look over at Optimus or they might figure out what I was up to.

The blue seeker looked downcast. I knew he hated the thought of defenseless creatures getting hurt, including humans. He probably thought if I ended up as leader I'd be worse than Megatron and openly attack human cities. "Thanks guys. But really, I have a shift of guard duty to do. Why don't you both run off and enjoy each other's company." My trine look at each other then leaves. As the door shuts behind them I turn to look at Optimus. "For a second there I thought the game was up." I whisper.

"No kidding." He replies equally quiet.

-0-

"Starscream, I want you to take your trine and the triple changers out to survey the execution site. I don't want any complications tomorrow." Megatron orders as I report in after my guard duty. Already the triple changers were waiting by the doors of the Command Center and my trine had just walked in said doors.

"Fine. But if you ask me I think your being paranoid." I walk towards the doors, motioning to the triple changers to follow me as my trine immediately falls in step behind me.

We arrive at the site in a few moments with the triple changers landing first. The sun had gone down awhile ago and the moon was dark, limiting our vision. My trine and I land a bit away. Hopefully the Autobots were laying traps and had sent their invisible bot, Mirage, to do it. Hopefully none of my crew set off said traps.

"So... What do you want us to do?" Astrotrain asks as he walks over, Blitzwing and Octane in tow. I look around. The area was pretty rocky. The spot Megatron had chosen was a wide rock backed by a steep slope. Glancing over my shoulder plate I realize the area behind us was Autobot territory.

"Well, we're right on the border. I doubt the Autobots are as dishonorable to place traps on the edge of their border. You three could check it out anyway." Blitzwing nods and moves off, Octane and Astrotrain close behind. Turning back around I catch a flicker of light coming from around the corner.

"Well, we should get started!" Skywarp says cheerfully. It felt like ages ago since I heard him like that.

"Starscream?" My helm snaps around to look at TC. He approaches me carefully and reaches. Immediately I take a step back and he holds up his servos.

"What?" I ask as I try to gain some composure back. Stopping myself from taking another step back he reaches forward and takes hold of my servos.

"You're tensing up. What's wrong?" Pulling back sharply I'm surprised when he tightens his grip. As he pulls me back panic floods my senses and I begin to struggle. "Whoa, calm down, I'm not going to hurt you." He drags me closer and I struggle more.

"No, you're lying." Warp gently rests his servos on my wings and I buck forward. "Don't!"

"The Pit Screamer. Take it easy, we're not going to do anything." He whispers in my audios and I force myself to calm down. "Now what's going on?" Warp demands as he hugs me from behind.

"N-Nothing's going on." I glance up at TC who searches my faceplates with narrowed optics but let's go anyway.

"Starscream, I know we haven't earned you're trust back. I just hope someday you'll tell us what scares you, hurts you so much." He says as Warp pulls himself off of me.

"I'm not scared, I'm not hurt, and I do not need a savior." I hiss back at him. 

A/N

Sorry for not updating awhile guys. I place this baby on a schedule and update it every Wednesday. And because y'all deserve it I'll do another chapter today.

P.S.: Reviews are love 


	6. Chapter 6

Ch 6: Paying the Price

"Hey, what's going on over here?" Blitzwing asks, coming over. "From where I was standing looked like you guys were having a fight."

I wave him off. "Everything is fine. Have you checked your section of border?"

"Kind of hard to do it when there's a fight nearby but we're almost done." Blitzwing moves off again and I sigh.

"Alright, can you guys check further out towards the base? We don't want to step in anything while Megatron makes his grand entrance." My trine mates look at me for a long time before nodding and moving off. Watching where I stepped I made my way to the backside of the slope and lower myself onto a rock.

"Despite what your friends may or may not think even I can tell from the distance I was at that you hurt." My helm snaps up and to the right. The light next to me shimmers and drops to reveal a blue and sliver mech sitting next to me. "I was informed that you are assisting us. Whether it is from personal greed or just a good deed, however ironic that sounds, I wish to thank you. I've been informed on your survival rate by Prowl, as well as a few other Autobots and although 8% isn't high I hope you pull through."

I stare at him for awhile before looking back out on the landscape. "You know, I'm going to miss this backwater planet. For all the organic stuff covering it I've come to find it beautiful. If you can Mirage, can you inform your team members that for my plan to possibly work they have to move fast?"

"I will. You know me by name?"

"Don't flatter yourself, I know every Autobot, all the way down to the smallest minibot. A silly little habit of mine to know just who I'm shooting at. Shot at." I stand up and Mirage cloaks himself again.

"The only traps I planted are placed into the slope and will only detonate by a remote switch. And although you don't strike me as the type to believe in it, I wish you luck." His soft footfalls quickly disappear and I activate my short range comm.

"Alright, its clear here. Blitzwing?"

"Yeah, nothing here either."

"Thundercracker, Skywarp?"

"Nada." Warp answers me.

"Alright, return to base."

-0-

"Are you sure you checked thoroughly?" Megatron grumbles.

"I have and so have Blitzwing, Astrotrain, Octain, Thundercracker, and Skywarp. Once again I remind you to stop being so fragging paranoid!" Megatron slaps me and sends me sprawling.

"You. Will. Not. Be. REMINDING me of ANYTHING! Get up!" He yells at me. I do as I'm ordered and rise from the ground, knowing full well of what was going to happen. My optics lock with Blitzwing's as Megatron's fisted servo rams into my abdomen. "Get out of my sight!" Megatron yells at me as I pick myself up from the console I had been thrown into.

Casting a last look at Megatron's back I walk out of the door. The damage I had received was minimal and wouldn't even need repairing. Blitzwing stops me outside the door but can't bring himself to say anything.

"Blitzwing, I just wanted you to know that you're a good soldier." I tell him, patting him on the shoulder plate. His shocked expression tells me that he heard my sincerity. I glance to his taller companions. "Astrotrain, you're smart, you just have to get over having to be told what to do. Octane, you too are a good soldier. I'll see you three on the battlefield tomorrow."

I walk away and when I turn the corner I notice that the three were still standing there. Apparently none of them knew how to handle a compliment. Reaching my quarters I'm surprised to find my trine both sitting on my berth, waiting patiently. "Hey Star?" Skywarp asks.

"Yes?"

"Can me and TC sleep with you tonight?" Despite my attempts of stopping it a small smile spreads across my faceplate.

"Who am I to deny such great company?" I say with a small chuckle and get up on the berth then pull them down next to me. Dimming my optics I wait for my two friends to fall into recharge. To think that this would be the last time I would ever get to sleep with my trine mates.

A gentle servo caressing my cheek and wiping away the diluted energon makes me look over at TC. "Don't worry. Tomorrow is another day and soon you'll find out everything isn't so bad." He whispers and presses his helm to mine. "Now get some rest. We only have a few hours before we move out." I nod and snuggle in closer to him, finally falling into recharge.

-0-

I wouldn't have much time. Making it look as if I was taking my time I make it down to the brig. Reaching into my subspace I pull out an almost forgotten cube of high grade. "Optimus, quickly, drink some of this. You'll need to make a mad dash for it as soon as I break you loose." I tell him as he takes the cube and nearly downs it. "How are your energy levels."?

"At maximum. Starscream, listen to me, we will prevail." I take a shaky breath and press further into the bars.

"Oh Primus I hope so." A gentle servo lifts my chin and pleasant surprise flickers through my processor as Optimus retracts his face mask to lean in and press a careful kiss to my lip components. But it was over too soon.

"Starscream, bring out the prisoner." My comm. jumps to life with Megatron's order. Opening the door to the cell I watch Optimus step out, mask clicking into place once again. Even after being imprisoned like he had been he still managed to walk with grace. I place the stasis cuffs on him and turn it to the lowest strength setting, usually kept for minibots.

I walk behind him for a show and he heads up to stand in front of Megatron. A cruel smile graces his lip components as Optimus glowers at him. "Oh yes, I have no doubt that this will be fun." He turns back to me. "Starscream, fly on ahead to see how many pathetic Autobots came to see their leader die. Thundercracker will take over for you in the meantime." I glance over at TC who gives me the tiniest of smiles.

"Whatever." I reply nonchalantly, starting to walk away in the direction indicated. "Just means if a battle breaks out I'll be furthest away."

"You'd better not for your sake. I want you to report to me personally." I turn to glare at my soon to be ex-leader.

"Fine." I take off, do a tight barrel roll, and then charge off into the direction of the oncoming Autobots. Getting closer to the destination I notice several Autobots diving behind rocks close to the coordinates. More were coming from a distance, the secondary force. Doubling back slowly I drop my speed to almost hovering before turning back around and continuing my course. The Decepticons were on their way as well. Filtering air slowly I mentally prepare myself for what I had to do. Sending up a silent prayer to Primus I wait for Megatron's command.

A fourth of a joor later and my wait was up. "Starscream, double back and report, we are in position and I want you by my side when I kill this pathetic piece of scrap."

Skyfire flies up next to me and I prepare to charge. "Starscream, should I tell Prowl to up the pace?"

"Immediately!" I call back to him then let loose my charge. Flinging myself forward I head right at Megatron who was turned towards his troops. Since I was known to do split second landings he figured that's what it was. But the look of shock on his faceplate when I barreled into him was so worth what I was doing.

Shoving Megatron backwards I plow him through the few troops on the ledge and straight into the slope. "STARSCREAM YOU IDIOT! JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" He screams in my audios. I hear explosions overhead but keep surging forward.

"I am paying my price!" I yell back at him. He grips my wings, lifts me, and tosses me into the ground.

"The price for what? Foolishness?" He yells at me as he lands a punch to my cockpit. I flip backwards and transform, wincing.

"No, the price of redemption." I dodge a punch and hear firing behind me. Angling myself as I engaged with Megatron I see my trine as well as the triple changers opening fire on anyone aiming at me or the sprinting Optimus Prime. A vicious blow lands into my side and I grip his arm to stop him from pulling it back. "DO IT NOW MIRAGE!" I scream as loud as I can muster just as Megatron fires the fusion canon point blank into my side.

A resounding boom echoes out across the battlefield as the remaining bombs placed in the slope go off, showering Megatron and I with large rocks. Stumbling backwards I fire my null rays at full blast, managing to hit Megatron several times before he shot his fusion canon again, this time ripping into my right shoulder plate and tearing my arm completely off. A particularly large rock catches the edge of my wing, ripping it off and throwing me off balance.

"This will be your last mistake Starscream!" He shouts at me angrily as I let out a shriek of pain. Despite the erupting pain coming from my exposed wires I end my shriek in a laugh.

"Don't you get it; this is about the only thing I've done that isn't a mistake. And I planned on this being my last day." I launch a cluster bomb which explodes on his damaged chest plate, ripping open a hole straight to his spark.

We both fire out weapons at the same time. I manage to hit his spark directly and instantly extinguish it. He managed to hit my cockpit, shattering the glass and exposing my spark to a secondary blast he had shot. Thankfully Warp managed to drag me to the side just in time. Losing my balance from lack of energon and my wing I collapse on him.

"TC! COME QUICKLY! STARSCREAM IS DOWN, I REPEAT, STARSCREAM IS DOWN!" He yells into his comm. My damaged fans shudder but I force them to keep moving. "Don't you die on me Screamer, not now! Not when we finally managed to mend our trine." Diluted energon hits my face as Skywarp holds onto me. I offer him a crooked grin. I couldn't get mad at that stupid nickname when he gave me a face like that.

"Skywarp I need you to move aside!" A new voice demands and Skywarp gently lays me on the ground. Tilting my head back I notice Ratchet as well as First Aid rush over to me. I feel myself slipping as Ratchet gets to work, my optics dimming and nearly offing to direct energon to areas that needed it more.

Two servos picking up my helm makes me force my optics back online. Two blue optics met mine and I manage a weak smile. "You're not... Hurt are you?" I manage to squeeze out.

"I'm fine and you're going to be fine too. Just don't talk and sit still." Optimus tells me, a tremor entering his voice. The feeling of a fourth pair of servos touching me makes me roll my helm to the side. Hook was working frantically with Scrapper nearby.

Looking back up at Optimus I open my mouth. "Lean down please." He does as I ask and I place a kiss on his face guard. "I trust you." I whisper then fall into stasis lock.

A/N Just so no one is confused the next few chapters will be from Optimus' POV. See you guys next Wednesday. 


End file.
